H/D's List: 123 songs that should still be played ...

[Oldiesdude]

Wow!!! I have been going through this complete list of songs on this thread. I am humbled by the knowledge of HD and Scott, and was shocked to get to the last post and find that Greg Goodfellow had left a nice comment on what I had been doing for about the last 6 years on WYMJ-FM. I must say, I think what Greg has done with the station at Tyler Consolidated High School must be commended and built upon. With all the news of late, of things going on in Wall Street. I think people like, Scott, HD, Dave, Greg and others should start a revolution, called ..... "Take Back Radio" (TBR) I don't know.... maybe we could all camp out in front of a Clear Channel Station or something. LOL

[genlock]

A veteran media executive and former Tribune Co. CEO has been charged with drunken driving in southwest Ohio.

Middletown police say Randy Michaels was arrested early Friday after an officer spotted his vehicle in a muddy construction area near Interstate 75. A police report says he smelled of alcohol and failed sobriety tests.

Police charged him under his given name, Benjamin Homel, with driving under the influence and driving into a closed street. A court appearance is set for Oct. 21.

[Hoosier Daddy]

68. TELL LAURA I LOVE HER - Ray Peterson (1960)

From the height of the teenage death craze music fad, here's a timeless classic that reached #7 on Billboard's Hot 100. Ray Peterson was a childhood polio survivor and was blessed with a four-octave singing voice. He recorded a number of songs in the early 60s but is best known for this tune and Corrina, Corrina. Peterson retired from the music business in the early 70s and became a Baptist minister in Tennessee but returned to the stage on several isolated occasions to sing in oldies concert venues. He died in 2005 from cancer at age 65.





67. WHAT'S A MATTER BABY - Timi Yuro (1962)

Some Italian blue-eyed soul (and the follow-up to her 1961 hit Hurt) from 4'11" Timi Yuro. Elvis Presley was her biggest fan.





66. MISS AMERICA - Mark Lindsay (1970)

The lead singer for Paul Revere & the Raiders does some solo work after leaving the band. This forgotten oldie charted at #44 on Billboard's Hot 100.

[Hoosier Daddy]

... back to the 70s! ...


65. GET DANCING - Disco Tex and the Sex-o-Lettes (1975)

One of disco's decadent, pretentious, over-the-top power hits.





64. STAGGER LEE - Tommy Roe (1972)

This song originated somewhere around 1895 and the first published version was documented in 1910 by folklorist John Lomax. Stagger Lee was a popular deep South folk song based on the murder of William "Billy" Lyons by Stagger Lee Shelton on Christmas Eve 1895 in St. Louis, MO. The tune has been covered by at least 40 different artists over the years, with the most popular versions being done by Lloyd Price in 1959 and this one by Tommy Roe in 1972. Tommy's version climbed to #25 on Billboard's Hot 100 and it was his last song to chart in the Top 50.





63. KNOCK ON WOOD - Amii Stewart (1979)

Amii Stewart was a ballerina and dancer with the D.C. Repertory Dance Company and she performed briefly on Broadway before signing with Ariola Records as a singer. This song is actually a remake of Eddie Floyd's 1966 hit by the same name. Amii took this song to #1, then pretty much disappeared from the American music scene. She continued to release charting songs in Europe and enjoyed lukewarm success there through the late 80s.

[Hoosier Daddy]

Three from '64 ... the year EVERYTHING changed.



62. MR. LONELY - Bobby Vinton (1964)

Gene Allan and Bobby Vinton co-wrote this song and released it on Vinton's 1962 album Roses are Red. Mr. Lonely was re-released as a single in 1964 as the Vietnam War was escalating and it shot to #1 on Billboard's Hot 100.





61. ABAGAIL BEECHER - Freddy 'Boom Boom' Cannon (1964)

Freddy Cannon's anthem for every kid who had a smokin' hot high school teacher ...





60. I WONDER - The Crystals (1964)

They did a lot more than Da Doo Ron Ron. Delores 'La La' Brooks takes over as lead singer of the group in this forgotten 60s classic.

[Scott Reppert]

"Mr. Lonely" was one of my first 45's and "Abigail Beecher" is a great overlooked Freddy Cannon song.

Commenting on a few I missed:

Russ Ballard (Argent) wrote "New York Groove".

Amii Stewart's "Knock On Wood": gick.

Patrick Hernandez' "Born To Be Alive" is one of the twelve great disco songs out of the 1,127,348 ever recorded.

Suzi Quatro was gigantic at TCS back in '80-'81 with "Rock Hard" and "Lipstick".

As for Tommy Roe, wait for my "Album #2a" coming up soon on my list...

[Dave Loudin]

I hope Bobby has not been anywhere near a Hot station as Akon's "Lonely" would make his head explode.

[Hoosier Daddy]

Amii Stewart's "Knock On Wood": gick.

gick?

[Hoosier Daddy]

EXTRA: Novelty Songs, Volume #1

They're almost unheard of in 21st century radio, but back in the day, Novelty Records were a part of the spice in a Top 40 playlist. Novelty Songs ran the gamut, from a traditional radio hit that was just a little weird in some way, to a collage of previously recorded hooks and sound bytes from other records, to stuff that was way out there and probably wouldn't be heard anywhere but The Doctor Demento Show. Here are six samples from a variety of places in the Novelty Record spectrum ...


BRIDGET THE MIDGET - Ray Stevens (1971)





BABY SITTIN' BOOGIE - Buzz Clifford (1961)





THE SNAKE - Al Wilson (1968)





CONVENTION '72 - The Delegates (1972)





SHE TAUGHT ME TO YODEL - Frank Ifield (1961)





THE WINNER - Bobby Bare (1976)





More later ...

[Scott Reppert]

I had just downloaded "Bridget The Midget" a week or so ago. "I dig it! I really, REALLY dig it!"

"Convention '72" was always my favorite novelty song of that genre until "The Hexorcist"
came out in late '73 or early '74. I don't know if "The Hexorcist" was a national release or not
since it was on a Pittsburgh label and the flip was "Shall We Walk Or Take A Dog?" by
Freddy The Flea...live from "Flea Rivers Stadium".

Best line ever from any of the question/answer novelty line ever came from
"The Hexorcist": the interviewer makes the comment "Ah, here comes a group of ladies"
between the questions and answers and it goes into "doo, doo doo,
doo doo, doo doo doo doo, doo doo doo" from "Walk On The Wild Side".

I also remember hearing, only one time ever, a song called "Beatles Reunion" around this
time we are talking about ('73-'74). All I can remember about it is the interviewer had all
four of the Beatles answering questions about the possibility of their getting back together
using lines from Beatles songs as the answer. I just remember they kept asking John,
"Well, John, what do you think of the situation?" and his reply was always,
"Christ, you know it ain't easy"...

[EZ103.3FM]

My favorite Ray Stevens novelty song was 'Freddie Feelgood and his Funky Little Five Piece Band'.

Here's the youtube but I don't know how to embed....
http://youtu.be/IPJ1Mmd2a1w

Also don't forget Roger Miller's contributions in this genre. 'You Can't Rollerskate in a Buffalo Herd' for example.

[amayo]

You can make a case for a bunch of Roger Miller songs as novelties.

"Kansas City Star" "Do-Wacka-Do" both leap to mind right away. Not to mention "Dang Me"

[Scott Reppert]

"You Can't Roller Skate (In A Buffalo Herd)" and "Chug-A-Lug" were my two favorites, along with "England Swings".

You know what else you never hear today?

This:

[Hoosier Daddy]

Love the comments, suggestions, and observations! Thank you!

[Hoosier Daddy]

59. TAXI - Harry Chapin (1972)

I realize a handful of oldies stations still play this song, but at almost 7 minutes long, it ends up on the chopping block more often than not. What an awesome, amazing, moving song. And Harry Chapin - if you knew anything about him - was an awesome, amazing, caring, gifted human being. In addition to his musical talents, Chapin lead a passionate fight to end world hunger, often performing an entire concert then donating the profits to an appropriate charity, and he was a key player in the creation of the Presidential Commission on World Hunger in 1977. Harry met an untimely death in 1981 when he was involved in a car crash on the Long Island Expressway. Chapin was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his lifetime of humanitarian work in 1987.





58. DARLIN' BE HOME SOON - The Lovin Spoonful (1967)

Taking Rep's suggestion ... here is the live version from the Ed Sullivan Show.





57. NEEDLES AND PINS - Jackie DeShannon (1964)

Here's the second hit song Jackie wrote and sang in 1964, only to have it covered in '65 by a UK band called The Searchers and that version became the bigger hit. The first DeShannon record was When you Walk In The Room, featured earlier in this 123 song list. Once again, I think Jackie's version was much better, but it was 1965 and the public wanted that British sound. Anyway, here 'ya go!

[Dave Loudin]

Oh, MAN! Thanks for linking to "Convention '72". It's probably been 30 years since I last heard that. They sure used a lot of the Jimmy Castor Bunch, and the best joke was Martha Mitchell's "words." I must have had that record at one time.

A record I still do have is Dickie Goodman's On Campus. I also have something by "Coward Hosell" (actually WPEZ's staff) called "Super Steelers '76" that was done in the same manner.

We also can't forget Jim Stafford, who released such classics as "Wildwood Weed" and "Your Bulldog Drinks Champagne".

[Hoosier Daddy]

56. REFLECTIONS FROM THE LOOKING GLASS - 1910 Fruitgum Company (1968)

This is the B side of Simon Says, and its a notable departure from the band's traditional bubblegum fare and into the world of psychodelic folk pop. Producers Jerry Kasenetz and Jeff Katz were not amused, feeling the new sound strayed too far from the successful happy-go-lucky bubblegum template they had established for a number of bands (the Lemon Pipers, Ohio Express, and Music Explosion) under their control, and further efforts to explore this sound received the quietus. What a shame. The song is great, and we can only wonder what might have happened if 1910 had been able to make more music like this, perhaps releasing it under a different band name.





55. DRESSED IN BLACK - The Shangri-Las (1966)

The Shangri-Las were the masters of teenage angst and heartbreak. Most of their music had a dark and foreboding overtone but nothing else they ever recorded sounded so suicidal. The only thing missing is a gunshot at the end. Dressed in Black has a haunting, painful depth to the lyrics and its hard to believe an 11th grade high school girl is singing lead vocal. There is no such thing as a bad Shangri-Las record. This is where Amy Winehouse wanted to be.





54. BIG TIME OPERATOR - Zoot Money and the Big Roll Band (1966)

George Bruno "Zoot" Money and his Big Roll Band pound out this forgotten oldie from the summer of '66 ...

[Scott Reppert]

Andy Summers of The Police was lead guitarist with Zoot Money, I do remember that and one of his albums was "Live At Klook's Kleek". Also, "Reflections" is a GREAT B-side...

[EZ103.3FM]

One of the best concerts I've ever been to was a Harry Chapin acoustic concert in the Ritter Park area, just him and his brother Tom. For one song Harry stood up away from the mike and sang without guitars or amps.

And linking this reference to the novelty song reference, don't forget Harry Chapin's '30,000 pounds of bananas', a staple of Dr. Demento for years which got a little play on top-40 radio also - mostly in response to requests at night, I'm sure....

[Hoosier Daddy]

53. SWEET LORRAINE - Uriah Heep (1972)

Here's another one that makes you say 'Why don't they play this one on the radio any more?'. The Moog synthesizer intro makes the song instantly recognizable. I understand the whole Uriah Heep experience never caught here in the states like it did in England, but the band's signature sound -- the operatic vocals, the wall-to-wall keyboards, and the pounding harmony with some really awesome hooks ought to buy Sweet Lorraine occasional airplay on 70s stations and classic rockers.





52. ANGIE BABY - Helen Reddy (1974)

Proofd positive that Helen Reddy is Alanis Morrisette's mother ...





51. BURNING BRIDGES - The Mike Curb Congregation (1971)

Mike Curb is probably one of the most interesting people to ever write and produce a song. In addition to being a musician and a record company executive, Curb was a NASCAR and IRL race car owner, he was Lieutenant Governor of California from 1979 to 1983, serving under Governor Jerry Brown, and he served as Acting Governor when Brown took a leave of absence to run for President. As President of MGM and Verve Records, Curb gained national publicity in 1970 for dropping 18 acts who, in his opinion, promoted and exploited the use of hard drugs through their music, including the Velvet Underground, Frank Zappa, and the Mothers of Invention. Although a Republican and proudly conservative, Curb teamed up with well known San Francisco city councilman and gay activist Harvey Milk in 1977 to oppose the Briggs Initiative, a proposed law that would have prohibited homosexuals from teaching in California schools. Curb's musical career involved writing and producing songs for Roy Orbison, the Osmond Brothers, Lou Rawls, Sammy Davis, Jr., Solomon Burke, The Sylvers, Eric Burdon, War, Richie Havens, the Five Man Electrical Band, Gloria Gaynor, Johnny Bristol, Exile, and Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, just to name a handful of artists. The Mike Curb Congregation was a studio band Curb directed and this song was their only tune to chart on Billboard's Hot 100. Burning Bridges is the theme song for Clint Eastwood's 1971 movie Kelly's Heroes.